Process for the production of aryl-substituted sulfones



United States Patent Office 3,448,111 Patented June 3, 1969 3,448,111 PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ARYL-SUBSTITUTED SULFONES Hanswilli von Brachel, Offenbach (Main), and Karl Hintermeier, Frankfurt am Main-Fe'chenheim, Germany, assignors to Cassella 'Farbwerke Mainkur Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main-Fechenheim, Germany, a company of Germany No Drawing. Filed Aug. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 575,229 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 7, 1965, C 36,819 Int. Cl. C07d 31/48; C07c 149/00, 15/10 US. Cl. 260-2943 7 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Alpha phenethyl sulfolane and similar aryl-substituted sulfones are made by condensing styrene or similarly conjugated aryl-substituted olefin with the appropriate sulfone that has an alpha hydrogen. The products so made are used for separating aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons and are also chemical intermediates.

slot

Hm X-C wherein the substituents X stand for hydrogen atoms or lower alkyl groups or form together an ethylene bridge, the residue Y stands for wherein R is a member of the group consisting of phenyl, tolyl, pyridyl, and thienyl, R and R are members of the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, lower alkyl, and phenyl, ,n is an integer of 1 through 4, m is an integer of through 3, and the sum of m+n is 4, or to the formula I /l J Y has the meaning given above, p is an integer of 1 through 2, q is an integer of 0 through 1, and the sum of p+q is 2.

wherein The alkali alcoholates, hydrides or amides as well as the potassium hydroxide used as basic catalysts may be employed either in their pure form or as crude products of a technical grade. They are added to the reaction mixture in stoichiometric or catalytic amounts, preferably in amounts ranging between 0.01 mol and 1 mol per mol of the arylconjugated olefine.

Arylconjugated olefines suitable for the process of the present invention are, for example, styrene, a-methylstyrene, S-methylstyrene, a-phenylstyrene, fi-butylstyrene, fl-hexylstyrene, vinyltoluenes, stilbene, a-phenyl-B-methylstyrene, as well as, vinylpyridines and vinylthiophenes. Furthermore, such ary1olefines are suited as undergo a change in the alkaline medium with displacement of the double bond to give arylconjugated Olefines. Allyl benzene is such an example.

As starting sulfones there are suited, in particular, dimethyl sulfone, methylethyl sulfone, dipropyl sulfone, methylphenyl sulfone, dibenzyl sulfone, benzylphenyl sulfone, methylbenzyl sulfone, methyl-(w-phenylpropyD-sulfone, methylbutyl sulfone, methylphenethyl sulfone, phenylisopropyl sulfone, phenyl (a benzylethyl) sulfone, phenyl-(ot-phenethyl-ethyl)-sulfone, tetramethylene sulfone, a-methyl-tetramethylene sulfone, etc.

The addition of the arylconjugated olefine to the initial sulfone may, in many cases, be elfected at room temperature. However, it is preferable to Operate at temperatures ranging between 60 and 150 C. because by this a substantial curtailment of the reaction-time is achieved. The yields obtained according to this invention average between 50 and 100% of the theoretical.

The sulfones made according to the present invention represent valuable intermediates for the synthesis of dyestufls and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, these products may successfully be employed, particularly when they do not have too high a molecular weight, for the separation of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon mixtures of a technical grade.

The following examples are given for the purpose of illustrating the present invention. Unless otherwise stated, all temperatures given are in degrees centigrade.

EXAMPLE 1 500 g. tetramethylene sulfone (sulfolane) and 56 g. pulverized potassium hydroxide are heated to ll5-l20 and then admixed, whilst thoroughly stirring, with 104 g. styrene, in the course of one hour. The mixture is stirred for a further 2 hours at the same temperature and the excess tetramethylene sulfone is vacuum distilled off to a large extent. The residue is stirred into 1 litre iced Water and neutralized with hydrochloric acid. u-PhenethyL tetramethylene sulfone separates as a white precipitate that may easily be filtered oil. Yield: 206 g. (92% of the theoretical) having a melting point of 6869 after recrystallization from equal parts of benzene and cyclohexane.

In an analogous manner can be prepared the arylsubstituted sulfones enumerated in the table hereinafter. During the neutralization step they in most cases precipitate in the form of oils which are then preferably extracted by shaking out with chloroform or chlorobenzene, and recrystallized or distilled, after the solvent has been distilled off. In general, the yields range between 50 and Yield, Melting Initial Sulione Olefine/mols End Product Percent Boiling Point, Point,

Dimethylsulfone Styrene/l Methyl-('y-phenylpropyl)- lfnne 86 64-66 Styrene/2 Bis-(y-phenylpropyD-sulfone 51 113-115 Methyl-(-y-phenylpropylysulfon Styrene/ n 82 113-115 Do a Methy1-styrenel (v-Pll lenylpropyl)-(y-phenylbutyl)- 53 2052l0/0.1mm

su one Dimethylsulfone a-Methyl-styreue/l Methyl-('y-phenylbutyl)- 81 47-49 Do r a-Methyl-styrene/Z Bis-(y-phenylhutyl)-sulione 62 210/0.1mm Do. a-Methyl-styrene/3 (-yzglllezlilzlrflbutyl)-[2,6-diphenylheptyl- 255/0.2mm -s one Do 2-vinyl-pyridine/1 Methyl-['y-pyridyl-(2)-propyl]-sulione 77 145146/0.01m.m D1-n-propyl-sulfone Styrene/1 Propyl-(a-phenethylpropyl)-su1fone 85 148-150/0.1mm H Methylphenyl sulione .do Phonyl-(y-phenylpropyl)-sulf0ne 72 83-85 Tetramethylene sulione Styrene/2 a,a-Di-phenethyl-tetramethylone sulfo 87-89 a-Phenethyl-tetramethylene sulfone Styrene/l -do 87-89 Tetramethylene sulfone a-Methy1-styrene/2 e a-Diiw-pheuylpropyl)-tetramethylene 200-205/0.1 mm su one Do 2-vinyl-pyridine/1 a-lfi-llfyfldyl-(z)-ethy1]-tetramethylene 72 160161/0.1mm

su one EXAMPLE 2 comprehend such modifications within this invention as ma fall within the sec of the a nded claims. 500 g. tetramethylene sulfone are stlrred, under anclaim, pe ppe W352? gt i g i i ggi fi g g i g 1. A process for the production of alpha-(2-arylethyl)- W1 so mm y n e a o u s quen sulfones which comprises condensing an aryl ethylene in g. a-methylstyrene are dropwise added in the course of which the at o yl 1s selected from the class consisting of one hour at 11 0 to 120 and the reaction mixture 15 then phenyl, pyridyl and thienyl at a temperature ranging kept at thls temperature for a further 2 hours i the tween room temperature and 150 C. and in the presence excess tetramethylene sulfone has been vacuum dlsuned of an alkali alcoholate, an alkali hydride, an alkali amide,

33 g ig 2 f i and i f t g or potassium hydroxide, with a lower alkyl or tetramethyld we oncfacl i. sepgra z ene sulfone that contains, in a-position to the sulfone a e y means 0 a Separa mg nne an pun e y group, at least one hydrogen atom capable of substitution.

distillation. At a boiling point of l61163/0.15 mm. Hg, 202 g. (85% of the theoretical) of oc-(2-phenyl- 1;gflgggjj fi gzg g h propyn'tetramethylene sulfone are distilled 9 in h 3. A lower alkyl or tetramethylene sulfone having on of an aimost.colofless t Somewhat vlscpus at least one carbon alpha to the sulfur at least one beta- Th1s product 1s easily soluble in benzene and dlfiicultly at th 1 ton p soluble in cyclohexane. y e y g 0 When sodium, potassium or lithium amide or sodium e nc s C ted methyl are used as catalysts in place of the sodium hydride Truce et aL: L Org Chem 11, 3277430 in Example 2, the a-(Z-phenylpropyl)-tetramethylene sul- (1964) tone is obtained with similar good yields. v I

Replacing the a-methylstyrene by 4-vinylpylridine, a-(g- HENRY R. JILES, Primary Examiner.

yridinoethyl)-tetramethylene sulfone is ana ogously 0 4 I ained. It has a melting point of 66 to 68 after recrystal- ROTMAN A Exammer' lization from benzene and cyclohexane. U S Cl XR It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to further modification and, accordingly, it is desired to 260290, 329, 332.1, 609, 669, 674 

